Burn

by J.C. Hart

No parent should outlive their children. But what if you do? What if your son’s dying wish is to be burnt in the manner of his people — a people he was taken from as a child?

Carmel must gather her orphaned grandson and her son’s corpse, and ease her aching bones into the long walk that takes her where she needs to be. The footsteps of the past nag at her heels as she journeys to once again look upon the face of the Goddess.

Genres: Fantasy

59 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 5, 2015

About the author

I am a writer, and reader of books. A full time mother and all around lover of words.

Reviews

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Burn is a original, striking fantasy of vivid descriptions where the supernatural elements serve to enhance the relevance of the notion of cultural, faith, identity and love. The protagonist, Carmel, is an inspiring hero. Determined to fulfill her dead son's final wishes to be burnt in her homeland where know an afterlife with the Goddess, she makes the journey back to her land, carrying both her infant orphaned grandson and her son's body.

I really liked Carmel's quiet determination, devotion, and indomitable will in the face of great adversity. Whilst the ending felt a little abrupt, I found the book both moving and compelling. I look forward to more in the Maiden, Mother, Crone series.

[Meryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story. It's a compelling journey of one woman back to a culture she thought was lost to her forever. The culture and landscape are interesting and Carmel's revelations about herself really make you feel for her past and her journey back to herself. Lovely.

[Amanda Staley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. Can't wait to see more books from the Maiden, Mother, Crone series!

[Stacey Broadbent · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book of J.C. Hart that I've read, and I absolutely adored it.

Carmel must embark on a journey back to the place she called home before it was taken from her in a terrible fire. Her son, Landon's dying wish is to be burnt upon the mountain of the Goddess, Serafina, as is customary with their people. With her grandson strapped to her front, Carmel drags her son's corpse across the land on a journey that takes her where she needs to be.

Beautifully descriptive, wonderful world building. I was able to see a clear picture in my mind of this land she created. I will definitely be on the lookout for more from this author!

[Emma Lindhagen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been meaning to read this for a while and finally got around to it. It is quite short, just the right size to keep me company on my commute to and from work.

I really enjoyed the worldbuilding in this story, and how much of it managed to be revealed without a single paragraph feeling info-droppy. I also really liked seeing a genre novella with an older protagonist - that's just so rare! The ending was... surprising. I won't say more than that. It didn't quite go the way I'd expected and it left me wondering about the rest of the series. Usually, I think, it's pretty easy to get a feel for what the next book of a series will involve but with this one, I'm really not too sure what to expect.

[Kristi Cramer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this short, but deep, read. A lot of thought went into this storyline, and I like the way it ends. It fell short of *amazing* for me, though, so only 4 stars here on Goodreads.

I may have more to say on this later, but for now, we'll say I really liked it. I can't say I expected the story based on the blurb, but it was good.

My rating is PG-13 for some "hard-knocks" life content - but I don't recall any profanity and definitely no sex.